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Of course, it depends on the definition of "mentally ill." I think
anyone who actually wants to harm others is insane, but that has
little to do with how psychiatrists arrive at a diagnosis—and
most of them will seriously deny that they can reliably predict
who will become violent, regardless of the diagnosis.

Seems to me that anyone who demonstrates the desire to control other
people also has the capacity to harm others physically—no matter
if they are called "mentally ill," if they hold the weapon themselves
or hire proxies. The mundane "mentally ill" are obviously not the
core problem.

Below is a potentially valuable study to determine the actual risks
and the relationship of those risks to "mental health" efforts,
especially those directed toward gun owners.

Mental illness and reduction of gun violence and suicide: bringing
epidemiologic research to policy[Read full text]

Research concerning public attitudes toward persons with mental
illness is reviewed and juxtaposed with evidence from benchmark
epidemiologic and clinical studies of violence and mental illness
and of the accuracy of psychiatrists' risk assessments. Selected
policies and laws designed to reduce gun violence in relation to
mental illness are critically evaluated; evidence-based policy
recommendations are presented.

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